Congestion has a price, and it’s rising in Houston

Let’s just state the reality right off the bat: If you believe you have an inalienable, absolute and never-ending right to a congestion-free trip across miles of highway in the Houston area — for free, anytime you want — you are wrong. Whoever led you to believe that lied to you.

There is going to be traffic, and sometimes it is going to be very bad. Call it the price of doing business in a place doing a lot of business.

There are quite a few more like that, although some commenters defend the decision and regret that officials didn’t add a rail element to the I-10 widening project.

Officials deny that they are raising tolls to increase revenue, although the most recent increase, in 2013, did yield a little more money for HCTRA. Since the lanes opened, the goal has been to keep traffic moving briskly. That means 2,000 vehicles an hour should be using them. When traffic volume exceeds that level, officials reduce demand by raising the price.

“We don’t need everybody to change,” said Lisa Castaneda, deputy director of the toll road authority. “But those who can, we want them to explore that alternative.”

The trick is finding the right price level to motivate just enough people to change their behavior.

“Human nature is hard to predict, especially when it comes to what people pay,” Castaneda said.

Think about when demand is highest for roads and travel in general, then look at the pricing plan for the rate increase, which takes effect May 30.

Prices are highest when demand is greatest — times when more than 2,000 motorists would be inclined to use the lanes if the rates were cheap. Does that mean those willing to do so pay and others get shoved out of the lanes? Yes. Just as those who wouldn’t pay $65-$200 to see Bette Midler stayed at home. (For the record, I stayed at home. I did pay $32 to see Lord Huron weekend before last.)

The broader question might be whether Houston officials have provided sufficient options. On Tuesday, at the same time people were talking about the toll price hike, Metropolitan Transit Authority officials were discussing overcrowding at the Grand Parkway Park and Ride. That’s one of the lots where people looking to ditch their solo trips along I-10 could go, if only it had enough room.

The lack of parking options frustrates drivers and officials. Metro board member Diann Lewter said reducing parking has a negative effect, potentially decreasing park and ride by up to 300 users.

“We are running out of parking surrounded by nothingness,” said board member Christof Spieler, noting a sparsely-used four-lane road and empty field east of the current lot.

Metro — which has a 50-year lease for 423 spaces on the site — is considering working with NewQuest to build a parking garage. Metro could then increase its parking allotment, but construction would come with additional operational costs.

Spieler encouraged Metro to consider selling permits, applying a similar theory to the toll pricing by putting in a cost to control a limited supply.